Cancer Counseling for Elderly Patients with Cancer

No longer recruiting at 1 trial location

Age: 65+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Must not be taking: Antidepressants

Disqualifiers: Significant psychiatric disturbance, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether phone counseling can improve the emotional well-being of older cancer patients. It focuses on individuals with prostate, breast, lung, lymphoma, or gynecological cancers who are currently undergoing treatment or have been treated in the past six months. Participants will engage in either a group intervention or an individual format to determine if it alleviates depression, anxiety, and loneliness while enhancing overall quality of life. This study is suitable for those aged 70 and older who experience significant distress from their cancer experience. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to explore supportive care options tailored to individual needs.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop your current medications. However, if you are taking anti-depressant medication, you must have been on the same dose for at least three months to participate.

What prior data suggests that this psychoeducation counseling is safe for elderly cancer patients?

Research shows that both expressive writing and psychoeducation counseling are safe for cancer patients. Studies on expressive writing have found that patients generally handle it well, with many reporting improved quality of life and physical health without major side effects.

Similarly, psychoeducation counseling improves emotional well-being and reduces stress. Patients often feel better and develop stronger coping skills after these sessions. The reviewed research did not find any major safety concerns for either treatment. This suggests that both expressive writing and psychoeducation counseling are safe options for older cancer patients seeking emotional support. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about these interventions for elderly cancer patients because they focus on mental and emotional support, rather than traditional medical treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. The Expressive Writing Intervention offers patients a unique way to process their experiences by encouraging them to write about their thoughts and feelings, which can help reduce stress and improve mental well-being. The Psychoeducational Intervention Group provides structured learning about cancer and coping strategies, which empowers patients with knowledge and emotional resilience. These approaches aim to enhance quality of life by addressing psychological needs, which are often overlooked in standard cancer care.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for elderly cancer patients?

Studies have shown that expressive writing, one of the interventions in this trial, can help cancer patients improve their quality of life and physical health. In several studies, patients who engaged in expressive writing reported feeling less stressed and better able to manage their illness. Similarly, psychoeducation counseling, another intervention tested in this trial, has effectively improved cancer patients' quality of life by providing education about their condition. Research indicates that these methods can reduce anxiety and depression, leading to better emotional well-being. Both approaches hold promise for helping older cancer patients manage the emotional challenges of their condition. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Christian Nelson, PhD

Principal Investigator

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for people aged 70 or older with prostate, breast, lung, lymphoma, or gynecological cancer. They must be able to communicate in English and are currently undergoing treatment or have been treated within the past 6 months. Participants should be relatively independent (Karnofsky score of 60+), mentally sharp enough to consent (BOMC ≤11), and feeling some emotional distress.

Inclusion Criteria

In the investigator's judgment, participants must have satisfactory cognitive function to provide valid informed consent and participate in Geriatric Specific Psychoeducational Intervention. The Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration test (BOMC) will be used as a cognitive screening tool. Patients must have a BOMC score of less than or equal to 11.

I am currently undergoing or have recently undergone treatment for cancer.

I am 70 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been on the same dose of antidepressants for less than 3 months.

Actively participating in protocol 07-094 or 11-021

Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator's judgment, to preclude participation in the intervention (e.g., acute psychiatric symptoms which requires individual treatment).

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Psychoeducational Intervention

Participants receive psychoeducation counseling to help cope with cancer and aging, aiming to reduce depressive symptoms, anxiety, and improve quality of life

8 weeks

Weekly phone counseling sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Expressive Writing
• Group Intervention
• Psychoeducation Counseling

Trial Overview The study tests if psychoeducation counseling can improve quality of life for elderly cancer patients by reducing depression, anxiety, loneliness, and improving coping skills. It compares group sessions versus individual phone counseling against a control group doing expressive writing.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Psychoeducational Intervention Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Expressive Writing Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group III: Control Group Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,998

Recruited

602,000+

Joan Karnell Cancer Center at Pennsylvania

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

110+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10108097/

Reflections for Elders-Expressive Writing Intervention: A ... The Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders Expressive Writing Intervention (CARE-Express) was developed to enhance coping and minimize psychological distress ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1879406822000376

Cancer and aging: Reflections for elders- Expressive ... Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of expressive writing disclosure on cancer and palliative care patients' health-related outcomes.

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6680178/

The effect of expressive writing intervention on ... This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of expressive writing intervention (EWI) for improving psychological and physical health in cancer patients ...

4. cambridge.org cambridge.org/core/journals/palliative-and-supportive-care/article/expressive-writing-interventions-in-patients-with-cancer-a-scoping-literature-review/32C03C3461A4BECB9AE7A6B6796DF538

Expressive writing interventions in patients with cancer Twenty-one of the quantitative studies found that EWIs were positively associated with cancer patients' QOL and/or physical health outcomes. Of ...

5. ejoncologynursing.com ejoncologynursing.com/cms/10.1016/j.ejon.2024.102578/attachment/7b9c7d0a-2617-444e-b297-5c8514c15847/mmc1.docx

Using expressive writing to improve cancer caregiver and ... Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of expressive writing disclosure on cancer and palliative care patients' health-related outcomes.

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40686255/

Expressive writing interventions in patients with cancer Twenty-one of the quantitative studies found that EWIs were positively associated with cancer patients' QOL and/or physical health outcomes. Of ...

7. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192729

Expressive writing intervention and self-reported physical ... Expressive writing intervention and self-reported physical health out-comes – Results from a nationwide randomized controlled trial with breast cancer patients.

8. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.3193

Effects of an expressive writing intervention on cancer ... The present study tested whether women treated for early stage breast cancer randomized to EWI would experience larger reductions in distress ...